Endless Night
by DarkMuse112
Summary: Why bother getting close to anyone when all around, there was only death? Levi hadn't had any real friends in years, and he'd worked hard to push everyone away who'd come even just a little close, so why was he finding it so easy to let Petra in? Maybe his injury had made him soft in the head, but he'd found something in her that, for years, he didn't know he'd desperately needed.
1. Chapter 1

_I don't know at what point in the timeline of the Attack on Titan story that this story takes place. I didn't think about it, and I don't care. It's definitely before the Colossal Titan appears for the first time outside the wall around Shiganshina. This was written assuming that certain characters did not die, and that other ones weren't even involved at all. The events and timeline probably won't match up with the canon story at all. Again, I'm not really worried about it. I just hope that this is at least an entertaining read._

_I've also had thoughts to just change the names of the characters and turn the titans into zombies or vampires or some other form of undead creature that prays on humans to make this an original story. And of course, change some of the situations to exclude the extremely specific 3DMG. And if I did that, at least then we wouldn't have to worry about what is canon and what isn't, or small details that don't matter, characterization, continuation issues, plot holes etc._

_By the way, this story will be primarily Levi x Petra. There might possibly be some fluffy Levi x Eren later on, but I haven't decided yet._

_Also, the title of this story is crap. I had to think of one so I could post this, and I didn't know what to call it, so there you go._

_All characters ©Hajime Isayama._

* * *

There were too many titans in the area. Although Lance Corporal Levi and his squad were dropping the dimwitted creatures both left and right, the effort wasn't enough to ease the onslaught that the left flank currently faced. A severed leg lay half concealed in a shrub. Splotches of blood stained the ground in elaborate patterns and shapes of varying size. A seven-meter class had blood dripping from its fingers and chin, maw chomping like the uncivilized beast it was. It toppled to the ground seconds later when dual blades, spinning like a top, sliced through the upper curve of its spinal column.

Levi spared only a moment to survey the area, when a fifteen-meter class titan appeared over the crest of the hill at his nine o'clock. It charged toward the fray with no other motivation than bloodlust. Its mouth, lined with white, shiny teeth, stretched from ear to ear, and gleamed horrifyingly in the morning sunlight. Reacting quickly, and with the use of the 3D maneuver gear, he leapt from the back of the giant he had recently slain. The limited amount of trees in the vicinity made it a bit difficult, but with his advanced skill of using the apparatus, it was nothing he couldn't handle.

Just as he was about to land amongst the upper branches of an unusually tall oak tree, his stomach lurched abruptly as his body was jerked sideways, the left tether snapping with increased tension. His head spun as blood rushed to his brain. It all happened so fast that he couldn't process the events. The sensation of falling suddenly became overwhelming, a sickening, tingly feeling rising from the bottom of his gut to the back of his throat. He squeezed the trigger hard, employing the gas and projecting another tether in desperation to correct his orientation, but he was too late. The back of his head connected hard with the ground before he could prevent it from happening.

Dropped from the air like a fly swatted with a rolled newspaper.

He lay on the ground for a few moments, limbs splayed, unable to move due to shock. He gasped for air, but his lungs refused to expand, and the searing pain in the back of his head grew more painful by the second. He blinked a couple times to clear his vision. Something large was falling from the sky, and if he didn't move, he would be crushed beneath it. With quick reflexes—thankfully, his limbs seemed to all be intact and in proper working order—he rolled out of the way, and the titan that he'd been so intent on escaping flopped to the ground with a thud right where he had been laying only seconds prior.

"Sorry about that!" Auruo shouted from his perch atop the dead titan.

Levi was on his side after the evasive action, looking over his shoulder up at Auruo. Groaning, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, his breakfast threatening to liberate itself from his stomach. He tasted bile in his throat and knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. Trembling arms supporting his petite frame, his body convulsed once, and he vomited. A bit of the regurgitation splashed onto his hands, and the disgust it evoked caused him to retch again.

Once the contents of his stomach had been sufficiently expelled, he let out a breath and closed his eyes, falling to his side and rolling onto his back. He knew he couldn't remain where he was, lest he be trampled by a titan… or worse. However, at the moment, the desire to sleep was winning out over his survival instincts. He couldn't think clearly, and was conscious of this fact, but he could comprehend little else through the fog that filled his head. He couldn't make sense of anything, and trying to do otherwise was proving exhausting. In the end, he resolved himself to his fate and closed his eyes.

Auruo only noticed that something was wrong when Levi didn't get up. Fearing the worst, he flew to his captain's side.

"Captain!" he shouted, shaking the small man's shoulders. Levi stirred only slightly, blinking a couple of times, but it was not enough to rouse him from his slumber. His head lolled to the side as Auruo continued to attempt revival. He even slapped his captain across the face a couple times as well. Nothing.

Petra had watched from afar as the scenario played out. She'd stared on in horror as Levi had attempted to make his getaway, only to see the fifteen-meter class below leap up and grab his tether in its teeth, yanking him out of the air like it was nothing. The way his tiny, yet powerful body had crumpled when it hit the earth had made her heart drop. If he was dead…

Petra appeared behind Auruo, having run as fast as she could on foot to the scene. "Is he okay?"

Auruo looked up at her, worry twisting his features. "He hit his head pretty hard." He cradled the captain's head with his left hand. When he pulled it away, he saw blood on his palm.

Petra's eyes widened in horror and she fell to her knees. "Captain!" Petra shouted, attempting to push Auruo out of the way.

"Hey! Be careful!" he shouted in protest.

She grabbed Levi's shoulders and shook him violently. Not in the gentle rocking manner Auruo had been attempting. At least he responded this time.

"What?" he groaned loudly.

"Captain, you can't sleep here," Petra explained quickly. "Not only because there are titans crawling all over the place, but you hit your head, and if you fall asleep, you could die. So get up!"

Levi groaned again, and attempted to push himself up, but fell back into the grass. Each of his comrades grabbed a different arm, and lifted him to his feet. He wavered a moment, his lack of balance causing him to stagger a few steps before Petra and Auruo returned to his side, throwing his arms one around Auruo's waist and the other around Petra's shoulders, to help him stabilize. It was clear that he would no longer be able to fight, at least for the rest of the day. Only further examination could determine for how long he would be out of commission. They situated him atop Auruo's horse, propping him against the rider's back so he wouldn't fall, as Mike's squad caught up to their position. The three of them then retreated to the middle of the formation where they would be the safest, and where Levi could acquire some proper medical attention.

* * *

In the end, that day's expedition had been one of the worst in the history of the Scouting Legion. About half the company's forces were wiped out, and not a single inch of ground had been gained for furthering the existing supply route. The entire purpose of the mission, after all, was to do just this, and they'd failed miserably.

In the evening, the orange glow from the funeral pyres illuminated the skyline, bathing the town square in a soft, warm light. The current Survey Corps headquarters was situated on the outskirts of the town just beyond the gate to the Shiganshina district, inside Wall Maria. However, funerals were generally held in the town square because of the space the center afforded. It wasn't unusual to see onlookers paying their respects from a distance, on the hills and rooftops, from windows and doorways. But the more opinionated and ignorant citizens usually showed up in the square, intent on causing problems. The big issue of which many people felt rather strongly, was that the Survey Corps only existed as a resource disposal for humanity; a military entity not worth the time or manpower to support. The Military Police were present to keep these rabble-rousers out of the square, but they could do nothing to control the resentful comments that flew at the funeral attendees like throwing knives; taking action would only cause matters to escalate.

Levi was supposed to be in bed, but instead, he stood amongst the rest of the funeral goers in the town square, head wrapped snugly with gauze. The bandage was the only indication that he had been hurt at all. Otherwise everything else about him appeared to be normal.

Once the forces made it back to headquarters, the military doctor had examined his injuries, and confirmed that he had sustained a moderate to severe concussion. His instructions for treatment were to get plenty of rest for the next week, and he was restricted from fighting or participating in any physically taxing activities for three. He'd also been prescribed a mild painkiller and an antiemetic in the event that his nausea returned.

However, he'd vehemently refused to follow any such orders, at least for the time being, which is why he currently found himself in the company of his rescuers; Petra stood to his right and Auruo to his left. It was touching how much they cared about his wellbeing. They had come to see him as soon as he'd been properly treated. When he'd informed them that he was going to the funeral, and there was nothing they could do to stop him, he didn't miss the obvious look of concern that passed between them. Eventually, Petra had proposed a deal, insisting that they wouldn't fight him on the matter, but only if they could serve as his personal escorts. Levi knew that normally, they might defy his wishes in an instance such as this if it meant protecting him, even from himself. But he didn't need to ask why they were being such pushovers about it now. They understood his deep concern for his fellow soldiers, and would never wish to come between him and the need to say his peace for the fallen.

Beyond the Military Police's perimeter, the angry faces of disgruntled citizens glared at them, insults and other comments spewing from their mouths in a thick cloud of ignorance.

What more did they want? Did people think that fighting titans was easy? If it were, then anyone could do it, and humanity wouldn't be teetering just on the brink behind these suffocating walls. Sure, Levi made it look easy, but it had taken him years of practice to hone his skill of the 3D Maneuver Gear, and even then, he still wasn't completely unbreakable, obviously. Besides being able to function using the equipment, there was also the matter of mental resilience. If any of those people in the crowd had to face a titan directly, Levi knew exactly what would happen. He'd seen it countless times with new recruits on their first expedition; he or she would piss their pants and then run crying for their mother. But what other option did the human race have? There was no other effective way of fighting back. Humanity couldn't just ignore its predicament forever.

Though these and other thoughts often ran through his mind, it wasn't worth the trouble of dwelling on them. Even when he wanted to resent humanity, he had learned to mostly ignore the morons. There were many more reasonable people behind these walls than the few misinformed, unintelligent twats that made it their job to be ass holes. The big picture was the thing worth fighting for the most.

After the funeral, his two comrades walked him back to his quarters. He was tired, but couldn't sleep. Although the doctor informed him that sleep might be difficult for a while, this was nothing new to him, as he'd never been a sound sleeper. He'd been through too much, and the horrors that haunted his memories and dreams often kept him tossing at night. It was just one more thing with which he'd learned to cope. The dull throbbing on the back of his head however, surely didn't help this night.

In the morning, the doctor returned to change his bandages. At least the throbbing had stopped at this point.

Petra and Auruo sat together with a few others in the mess hall. Judging by the intense fire in Petra's eyes, it looked as if the two of them had been bickering. Levi approached the table, not bothering to announce his presence, pulled out an empty chair and sat down.

"Good morning, Captain." The heat in Petra's eyes immediately dissipated as she turned her attention to Levi. "Can I get you something to eat?"

Levi nodded, and she quickly stood, scurrying off to fetch it. She was a loyal colleague, but sometimes too enthusiastic and intent to please. He wished that she would relax once in a while, but she always seemed so on edge, especially around him. Auruo on the other hand, thought he could impress his superiors by imitating them. Or maybe the act he put on could be explained simply as hero worship. Either way, Auruo was a good kid whose heart was usually in the right place, even if he did come off at times as cocky and bull-headed.

When Petra returned with a plate of toast and eggs for Levi, as well as tea for everyone at the table, he thanked her, nodding approvingly.

"I never actually thanked either of you for saving me yesterday," he said after blowing for a few seconds on the steam rising from his cup. He took a tentative sip.

"It's okay, you don't have to," Petra insisted, "we would have done the same for anyone."

"Well, if it's all the same to you…" he gave both of them a stern glance from behind his bangs, "thank you."

Sheepish smiles snuck onto both Petra and Auruo's lips, and they each turned back to their food. They didn't need to say anything for him to know they'd taken his gratitude to heart.

There was very little discussion the rest of breakfast, but Levi was thankful for the peaceful company for once. He could seldom relax when playing guard dog with the other high-ranking officers. Unlike Hanji, this company was subdued. Unlike Mike, he could rely on the fact that his personal space would be respected. And unlike Erwin… well, Erwin actually wasn't so bad. Most people thought he was really uptight, but in actuality, he was quite easygoing when not on duty. The only thing about him was that he was always plotting, always scheming, always working out how to be one step ahead of everyone else.

The breakfast group disbanded soon afterward, and each of them headed off to attend to his or her respective chores. In the afternoon, Levi met with Erwin and the other squad leaders in the conference hall to discuss the previous day's failed mission, and the next course of action to be taken due to the result. Erwin seemed intent on getting another expedition together as soon as possible, regardless of the lack of men now currently occupying their forces. Hanji thought differently. She and Erwin ended up arguing for at least an hour, over which program was a better use of the Scouting Legion's monthly stipend. Eventually, Hanji was able to convince Erwin that because there were not nearly enough men to organize another expedition any time soon, that the money would do more good supporting titan research. Levi couldn't say he didn't agree. Simply killing the things was only going to get them so far. It would definitely do their cause some good if they understood the enemy better.

In the evening, Levi remained with Erwin in his office, completing the necessary paperwork that went along with the previous day's mission. The majority of the paperwork consisted of order forms to be sent to the capitol requesting more uniforms, provisions, gas, replacement gear, parts for broken gear, and medical reports.

Completing the medical report associated with his personal file had been fun. After each mission, every soldier's medical records needed to be updated. If he or she lived without injury, there wasn't much to update. If he or she died, there were death certificates to apply for, and paperwork to complete which described the nature of the death. If he or she had been injured, there was another novel of paperwork to complete. What is the nature of the injury? What are the complications? What is the recommended treatment? How long is the recommended recovery time? Has any medication been prescribed, and if so, what symptoms does it treat, what is the dosage, medication period, administration instructions, methods for administration…. And each individual medication required the same questions be answered.

It was all very tedious and inane. He could feel his head start to pulse about half way through completion of his medical leave application, when he gave up and tossed it at Erwin.

"Finish this for me. I'm going to bed," he growled, standing and pushing in his chair. "My head is killing me." He didn't even give Erwin the chance to protest before he turned his back to the blonde. He did, however, hear the commander grunt disinterestedly just as the door closed behind him.

That night, as he tossed and turned in bed, visions of wide-eyed, terrified faces drifted through his dreams. Cries and shouts of anguish and pain rang in his ears as ugly, gluttonous, pig-faced titans tore his friends and fellow soldiers limb from limb. Some of the eyes he saw were blue, some were hazel, and others were brown. But two pairs in particular stood out from the rest; a golden pair framed by blonde hair, and jade irises, edged with brown hair and short, stubby pigtails.

He shot upright, violently coming to, all the blood rushing from his brain as a result. The room spun for a moment, and he thought he might be sick. He bent over his lap, his head in his hands, taking deep, controlled breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth. Thankfully, the nausea quickly passed. He lay back down after catching his breath, and closed his eyes.

He hated feeling so alone, but there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't even console himself with the fact that he was surrounded by plenty of people who cared about him. Petra and Auruo were good examples. Their loyalty was truly valued and appreciated, even if he rarely showed it. But it didn't matter. Because even though they were here, breathing, talking, and alive now, there was no guarantee they would be a month from now, or whenever the next expedition took place. All those he had ever been close to had been taken from him, so he'd stopped trying to form relationships with anybody. It was better this way, but no less painful.

Even so, there were times he wished for someone to be with him when he felt like this. It would be a whole hell of a lot better than suffering alone in silence. Even if all he or she did was lay with him while he slept. It would most certainly help, even if only a little, to quell his turbulent thoughts so that maybe he could actually get some sleep at night.


	2. Chapter 2

_About the update schedule for this: There isn't one. The first chapter took me a long time to write because I kept tweaking, changing and adding things. The rest of this story will be no different. Also, I just got a full-time job, and being that writing is only a hobby of mine, in combination with all the other side projects I have going on right now, I can only update this when I have time._

_Sorry this chapter kind of just… throws these two together, but I hope that it at least makes sense with what I wrote last chapter. This is also a bit sudden because I don't plan on this story going on forever and ever, so I'm trying to cut to the chase sooner rather than later. In my unwritten outline, there are certain events that occur and I don't want to spend a ton of time adding fluff for the sake of padding the story line in between those things._

_I'm also hopeful that you can see where this story is going. They're sleeping in the same bed already and it's only chapter two._

* * *

**CHAPTER 2**

Chore day. Mopping the floors, and cleaning out the bathroom and showering areas… it was only two things, but of all the chores that had to be done during the week, they were the two that took the longest. Petra was exhausted and starving by the time dinner came around. She practically inhaled her food, and was still hungry when she left the mess hall. Her stomach grumbled as she walked back to her room. It couldn't be helped though. Each soldier was only rationed so much food a day to keep the costs low.

The Survey Corps branch of the military was already on thin ice with the high mortality rate of its soldiers, and the money suck this caused the government as a result. The government shared a lot of the same views as the rest of humanity when it came to the subject of the Survey Corps' usefulness. The only thing keeping the organization going was not only Erwin and his scheming, but Levi and his inhuman Titan slaying skills. When it came to feeding the soldiers however, unless someone like Luke or Dieter, two guys who, on occasion, enjoyed hunting other creatures besides titans, caught something good and brought it back to HQ to share, there usually was only just enough food to go around.

Elsa, Petra's roommate, returned a bit later. She was a kind and friendly girl, a year or two younger than Petra, but they got along okay. The two of them stayed up and talked for a bit, the way they usually ended the day. The conversation consisted mostly of idle chitchat, but when Elsa started poking fun at Petra's admitted crush on the Lance Corporal, she decided to call it a night. Slipping into a light t-shirt and cotton shorts, Petra turned off the light and the two of them got into bed.

It was true she'd had a tiny crush on her captain for a while, now. He wasn't friendly at all, or even particularly social, but she liked to think that she paid enough attention to notice that there was more beneath his tough, distant exterior.

When she'd first been introduced to her captain, she'd been struck by his impeccable dress and hygiene. She'd been taken aback, noting the pristinely pressed uniform, and the fact that not a single hair on his head was out of place. Once she'd come to know of his unusual preference for cleanliness however, this immaculate outward appearance didn't seem so strange in retrospect. She had always had an appreciation for men who dressed well though. His physique was also a thing to be admired; and she was not the only one who noticed. There were many in the Scouting Legion, both women and men, who admired Levi for that. He was muscular without being ridiculously bulky, and even though he stood significantly shorter than the average male, his build was proportionate. Any time he'd lead their squad on horseback, Petra had never been able to resist stealing a few peeks at his rear before giving in and outright fixating on it, nearly hypnotized by the way his whole body bounced as he rode. Maybe that made her a creep, but she didn't care. As long as no one caught her ogling, and force her to explain herself, it would remain her one guilty pleasure.

Once she'd been in the Scouts for a while, and had become more familiar with the Lance Corporal's unusual personality, it became these traits that she admired the most. Levi was easy to respect because he commanded it from everyone. He didn't take shit from anybody, and there wasn't a single soul brave enough to cross him. Although he was standoffish and cold most of the time, he cared incredibly deeply about his men, and the dignity of all human life. With the exception of the titans, there wasn't a single living creature in the world that he would hurt without good reason. He was brave, and he took care of those he promised to protect. Sure, he could be rude, crass, and a bully at times, but he was a decent guy. His intentions were purely righteous, and he had a good heart. It was a shame that more people didn't notice or care.

Petra's mind wandered, contemplating these things as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Soon she found that hazy line of divergence between the worlds of dream and reality. Her eyelids grew heavy, and blissful unconsciousness overtook her as her thoughts wavered, becoming less and less comprehensible.

* * *

_Tap, tap-tap. Tap… tap._

Petra slowly came to, realizing that the knocking she'd been hearing was not just a thing of her dreams.

Blinking in the darkness, her eyes slowly adjusting, she looked around the room to try and see from where the sound was coming. Elsa was fast asleep, and hadn't moved an inch since closing her eyes, so it couldn't have been her.

Maybe she had imagined it. She listened for another few seconds, then softly…

_Tap, tap-tap. Tap… tap._

Pushing off the blanket and swinging her feet over the side of the bed, she made for the door. Tentatively, she cracked it open.

The hallway outside was dark, but she could just make out a short figure that stood about her height, though oddly shaped, standing in front of the door.

"Captain?" she whispered, once her eyes had adjusted enough to discern the figure's identity. "What are you doing here?"

Levi had a blanket draped around his shoulders, which explained the odd shape. His hair was slightly disheveled: an unusual sight. She could just make out the features of his face, his eyes more sunken than usual.

"I can't sleep," he said simply, his voice quiet.

She wasn't sure how to respond to the statement. This visit was so out of the blue, and she was still too groggy to comprehend the situation.

He continued. "I thought that maybe, if you could just come and lay with me… it might help."

The sleepiness wasn't fading away fast enough, and the fuzziness in her head was clouding her senses.

"What?" It was all she could think to say.

"I want you to come to my room, and lay in bed with me. How hard is that to understand?"

She stared at him for a moment, squinting into the darkness. Although her brain was still half-asleep, she was sure she'd heard him correctly. She couldn't think of anything else but to agree, so she simply nodded.

"Uh…let me just put some shoes on, and grab my coat. I'll be right out."

She closed the door just enough that the bolt didn't click, and went about gathering her things. As she did so, her brain started to wake up. What the hell was she doing? Levi had come to her, specifically, to ask her to come and sleep with him? Now that was strange and unusual. But she couldn't think too long on it. He was injured, and probably having a tough time, so he was simply asking for her help. That was all.

She stepped out into the hallway where Levi stood patiently waiting. Hugging her coat around her small frame, she followed him to the wing where the superior officers were quartered. Each one was afforded his or her own room, so it was a bit more private than the average soldier's quarters.

Levi's room was at the very end of the hallway, and was perfectly tidy, as she'd expected. There was a small desk pushed up against the wall across from the door, and a bed just to the left of that. A beam of moonlight streamed in through the single window in the room, and fell softly across the full-sized bed and floor beyond.

Levi motioned her inside, following suit, and closed the door behind him. He didn't say anything as he walked over to the bed and laid the blanket that was draped over his shoulders across the foot. He wore only a light cotton shirt and shorts, similar to her own, and she was still too out of it to realize that she was staring. Climbing into the bed, he untwisted the rumpled covers and pulled them up to his chin.

"Hey. Are you going to stand there all night, or are you going to lay down and get some sleep like a normal person."

Petra jumped, suddenly remembering where she was and what she was doing. She kept silent as she stripped down to her sleepwear, laying her jacket over the back of the chair that was pushed under the desk and slipping under the covers across from her captain.

Lying on her back, she focused her gaze at a spot on the ceiling. She couldn't sleep now; suddenly her brain was on overdrive and she could see, smell, feel and hear everything. Her eyes had acclimated to the darkness, and she looked about the room, taking in the detail of the stone walls and above her, the wooden rafters and stucco ceiling. The scent of the room was slightly musky, but there was something flowery and fresh intermixing with that smell that made her feel comfortable and safe. But most of all, she listened. Listened to the sounds of the room, the ambient noises of the night outside. Listened to the rustling sound against the sheets with each slight shift or movement he made. Listened to her captain breathing on the other side of the bed, each breath heavy, like a deep sigh of frustration.

Turning her head, she could see that he had his back to her, his form silhouetted against the moonlight.

"Are you asleep?" she ever so softly whispered.

"No." He didn't bother controlling the volume of his voice, and it surprised her. He didn't sound annoyed, but she couldn't help but think she had disturbed him.

She resolved to not bother him again. Rolling away from him onto her side, she closed her eyes and after some time of struggling to do so, fell asleep.

* * *

When Petra awoke in the morning, she almost forgot where she was. Slowly she began to remember how Levi had come to get her in the middle of the night, the way he'd tapped on her door, the woody scent of the room, his disheveled hair, the way he looked in his sleep wear…

_Stop it, Petra. Stop it, now. He would never be into you._

Levi was up already, but not currently in the room. Upon realizing this, she quickly got out of the bed, gathered her things and headed back to her room.

The others were already in the mess hall when she arrived for breakfast.

"Where were you this morning?" Elsa asked. The casual way in which she spoke, suggested that she had no knowledge of the visitor last night.

"I woke up early, so I figured I'd take a walk." It was a reasonable enough explanation.

A few minutes later, Levi appeared in the mess hall, but today he joined the other officers. Petra discreetly watched as he flicked the table, probably trying to remove a miniscule piece of dust from his place. He straightened his cravat, sipped his tea, and looked to be doing his best to ignore the other senior officers. The bandage around his head looked new as well. He must have been in the infirmary having it changed when she awoke.

Petra was paying an uncanny amount of attention to him today. She had to forget about last night, or the generally comfortable relationship that she did have with her captain would be ruined.

Today it was Elsa's and her turn to do laundry, so they worked on that for the rest of the morning. In the afternoon, she took a breather and relaxed in the mess hall with Auruo, Gunther, Erd and a few others. Someone had brought a deck of cards to kill time, and when she arrived, there were some pretty intense poker faces surrounding the table. When Auruo accused Erd of cheating, Hanji overheard and came in to see what all the commotion was about. She ended up staying and joining the game after busting a few skulls. Petra couldn't help but laugh at Hanji's intensity. Auruo would definitely still feel that knock on his head in the morning.

By dinner, the game was still going strong. The day had practically flown by. So rarely were any of them afforded time to have fun that they hadn't noticed how late it had gotten.

Petra jumped when Levi appeared in the chair next to her, as Erwin joined them as well, taking a less abrupt seat across the table. As Levi lowered himself into his seat, he passed her a non-descript look that she was sure was meant for her and her alone.

A slight warmth rose to her cheeks as she averted her eyes in embarrassment. Hopefully no he or no one else had seen.

For the rest of dinner she remained hyper aware of how she talked, ate, sat, blinked, breathed…. Why? It had never been awkward before, so why was it awkward now? She had done her best all day to forget that last night had ever happened, but how could she? Not when he walked into the room and sat so close to her and looked at her that way. God dammit, Levi.

"I'm telling you, knowing more about the titans will help our survival rate. We just need an opportunity to capture a few so that I can get to work. I can't tell you how excited I am to get started. Seeing those guys up close…" Hanji blathered on throughout dinner as the others ate before their food got cold like normal people.

Erwin and Levi looked at each other as she spoke, amused annoyance clear on both their faces. Finally Levi huffed, looking away, and a split second later Hanji jumped, her last thought cutting off mid sentence.

"What the hell was that for?" she demanded, staring incredulously at Levi. "That hurt!"

"You're giving me a migraine."

"You know, I think you're milking this injury a little more than necessary. Any time you get annoyed you just use that lame excuse. And now you're kicking people."

"I might admit to that accusation, except that every morning I wake up feeling like I'm going to throw up all over the place because my head hurts so much."

Her face turned sentimental. "Aw, poor, baby Levi." She made to reach over the table and pat him on the top of the head, but he grabbed her wrist before she could reach him, and gripped it tight.

"Don't patronize me," he warned, staring her dead in the eye, "I may be small, but I can kick your ass."

She stared at him for a moment, confusion contorting her features. Then suddenly she laughed out loud.

"You know I'm just messing with you. We're all friends here."

Petra gave her captain a sideways glance. He didn't seem amused. Glancing across the table at Erwin, it appeared he was trying to hide a smirk behind his hand.

Levi stood up then without another word and left the mess hall, as the others turned their attention to other subjects. She didn't want to say she felt bad for him, because Levi was definitely not one who deserved pity, but she could tell he wasn't happy with how the others were treating him. He was still recovering though, so she wondered if perhaps it was nothing more than he just didn't have the energy to continue the conversation.

When she spoke up after Levi had disappeared through the doors to the hall, the playful mood at the table died. "No one at this table is new to injury or death. Levi doesn't complain about much, or make it seem like anything gets to him. But the one time that he's hurt badly, you guys pick on him because you think he won't care. Just," her voice trailed off quietly when the intensity of the stares around the table became unbearable, "…stop."

There was a long moment of silence, some eyes watching her and others staring down at their plates as she stood and left, clearing her place without another word.

They finished their dinner in silence.


End file.
